YOU WANT FRIES WITH THAT?

UNTIL recent years, I had a standard Australian zoologist-conservationist view on feeding wildlife. It’s bad. Don’t do it. It’s not good for the wild beasties. Stop it.

But people do it. And of course, sometimes I did it. The possum sitting cutely on a fence of a hotel beer garden, waiting for a hand out. The magpie lurking for a scrap next to the picnic table. I’d slip them a little bit of tucker. And I’d feel good! I’d feel like I was having a special moment with one of nature’s creatures. But I’d also feel a little bit vaguely guilty.